Lynn, I got a quart of BM Moorgard in eggshell yesterday to sample on our house. I guess professional painters know what they're doing, but I found it much thinner than the interior paints I like to work with. I know it has a good reputation, though, so it must be at least o.k. Don't know about Duron, know it has a good name too. Don't know where you are, but I'm thinking of looking into Miller paint (a local in PNW), specifically a formulation called "Evolution", their newest ultra-tough exterior formula. Evolution is designed to have one-coat coverage--I'll see today. Painters might like that very much, wrt labor time saved. I'd love to hear some real-world feedback on Miller Evolution, too.

One thing I was told about finishes: we have fairly rough cedar siding, so we were told to use nothing higher than eggshell. If you have, say, Hardie siding or something very smooth, you can go with a higher gloss (I thought BM's was "pearl"). I have found that whenever I've been stopped by a house's paint job, if I've inquired about it it turns out it was painted in a satin, which means a higher-than-eggshell finish. To my eyes, such a finish looks wonderful and rich and not like a shiny radioactive house :), but I don't think we can do that with our siding.

I would use either Pratt and Lambert Accolade or Sherwin Williams Duration. I have seen houses at the Outer Banks with the Accolade on it hold up for over twelve years through salt air, sun, sand, and hurricanes very well. Depending on your location, you might also look at California Paints 2010 or Fresh Coat. California Paints is based in Andover, Massachusetts. They have a regional presence on the east coast and in the MidWest. Theirs is actually the highest rated product and I have heard some homeowners say it is much better.

Neither Duron Signature or Ben Moore House paint is rated very highly. I have seen houses here painted with Ben Moore fail within 2 to 3 years. Most painters will not use it on the exterior of a house.

flyleft - thanks. our siding is pretty smooth so I think low-lustre would be okay (their interior paint has a satin finish - and a pearl - which are shinier than eggshell but less than semi-gloss).

Richard - that is great information. I'd never heard of California paints before and happened to get this month's copy of Consumer Reports - and they rated that highest (after 9 years of weathering - the newer BM formulation had only been tested for 3). I'm in DC so I'm hoping I can find that here. I'm glad to hear that higher-than-eggshell gloss looks good to you, since we're leaning that way (our siding is smooth).

We're not subjected to salt air, sand or hurricanes, but we can get damp and currently have milden on a couple of exterior walls that the previously painters failed to prep or paint correctly.

Anyone heard of Kelly-Moore paint?

Thanks.
Lynn.

There are dealers for California Paints as well as Pratt and Lambert in the D.C. and Maryland market. I have experience with Pratt and Lambert paints and it has a solid reputation. California Paints is supposed to be a great product and I have talked to people who absolutely love it. They use Accolade in leiu of California. The 2010 is California's latest product and is better than Fresh Coat but is downrated because of the price. I don't have any experience with Kelly Moore paint. It is a small regional paint company. I have heard several paint contractors rave about MAB paints(M.A. Bruder paints) which is also available in your market. Their premium product is Seashore, which was developed for the Jersey Lighthouses.

The mildew has little to do with the preparation or paint. Exterior paint has some mildewcide in it and will resist damage from the mildew. I must caution you about using a mildewcide additive in any paint. It automatically voids the warranty on the paint. If the paint store offers you an additive on your paint, tell them no. The problem is that the paint manufacturer has no control over the additives and will claim a paint failure on the additive. Mildew can be cleaned off with some bleach and water and can be sprayed or sponged on the surface and rinsed off. I highly recommend staying away from a flat finish, use at least an eggshell or satin finish. The sheen helps to keep mildew from affecting the paint.

Richard - that is invaluable advice about not adding mildew retardant. The painters we're getting estimates from either suggested - or offered - to do this. None mentioned it negating any paint warrantee. I did find a dealer for the California 2010. Now we're seeing how willing the painters are to use it. They wouldn't be getting their usual contractor discount bc. they don't have accounts with the only area store that carries it. So they'd each prefer working with the paint store they get a discount from.

I'd still like to hold out for California or Accolade.

Thanks.
Lynn.

lynnalexandra
You are paying for the paint. If a painter refuses to use your choice of products because of their bias, then find another painter. Remember it is your money. You can also purchase the paint you want and pay them for their labor. This will ensure that you get a quality product of your choice applied on your house. Many painters have been known to purchase lower grade products even after the customer specifically asked for the best paint. I have never had a customer or paint contractor say they did not like Pratt and Lambert paint. I have only spoken to few people regarding California Paints and they did like it as well as Pratt and Lambert.